rat

sweet & savory.

from http://www.cbbulletin.com/ Comment Period Extended On Critical Habitat Designation For Selkirk Woodland Caribou, Only 46 Animals The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week that the public will have an additional 60 days to submit comments regarding the agency's proposed critical habitat designation for the southern Selkirk Mountains woodland caribou, an endangered mammal known to occur in the states of Idaho and Washington and in British Columbia, Canada. Idaho's Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, and Boundary County, Idaho, asked for an extension to the comment period and additional opportunities for citizens to participate in public processes regarding the proposal. "We recognize the public's interest in this issue and will work together to help citizens fully understand our proposal to designate critical habitat for caribou," said Brian Kelly, the Service's state supervisor for Idaho. "We also seek to gain as much information as possible from all interested parties which we will use to inform our final decision." The Service is re-opening the public comment period on the caribou proposal for 60 days, until May 21. The southern Selkirk Mountains caribou was listed as an endangered species in 1984. It occurs in the Selkirk Mountains of northern Idaho and northeastern Washington and British Columbia, and the entire distinct population segment is estimated to include about 46 animals. In total, approximately 375,562 acres are being proposed for designation as critical habitat. The proposed critical habitat is located in Boundary and Bonner counties in Idaho, and Pend Oreille County in Washington. These lands are all currently considered to be occupied by the species, and no exclusions are proposed. The primary threat to the species' survival is the loss of contiguous old growth forest habitats due to timber harvest and wildfires. Human activities such as road-building and recreational trails can also fragment caribou habitat and facilitate the movement of predators into the caribou's range. In 1980, the Service received petitions to list the South Selkirk populations of caribou as endangered from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and a U.S. Forest Service staff biologist. The southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou was emergency listed as endangered in northeast Washington, northern Idaho and southeast British Columbia in 1983, with a final listing in 1984. Defenders of Wildlife, The Lands Council, Selkirk Conservation Alliance, and Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the Service to designate critical habitat for the species in 2002. A 2009 settlement agreement stipulated that the Service would submit a proposed critical habitat rule to the Federal Register on or before Nov. 20, 2011, with a final rule by Nov. 20, 2012. The southern Selkirk Mountains caribou is a member of the deer family, and it possesses unique biological and behavioral traits. It prefers high elevations above 4,000 feet and steep terrain with old-growth forests. Small groups of mountain caribou migrate seasonally up and down mountain ranges, rather than undertaking the mass-group, long-distance migrations some species of caribou are known for. When winter snow deepens, mountain caribou feed almost exclusively on arboreal lichens that occur on old trees (typically 125 years or older), in high elevation forests. Under the ESA, critical habitat identifies geographic areas that contain features essential for the conservation of a listed species. Critical habitat receives protection under section 7 of the ESA by requiring federal agencies to consult with the Service on federal actions that may affect critical habitat and by prohibiting federal agencies from carrying out, funding, or authorizing the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. Only actions that have some federal nexus are subject to consultation on critical habitat; activities undertaken by private landowners that do not involve any federal funding, permits or other activities are not affected by a critical habitat designation. The designation of critical habitat does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve or other conservation area. It does not allow government or public access to non-federal lands. A critical habitat designation does not impose restrictions on non-federal lands unless federal funds, permits or activities are involved. However, designating critical habitat on federal or non-federal lands informs landowners and the public of the specific areas that are important to the conservation of the species. Interested citizens are invited to attend a Service-hosted information meeting on Saturday, April 28 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Citizens will have an opportunity to learn more about the proposal by talking with Service biologists and managers at this information meeting. The same day, a public hearing will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. so that citizens will be able to provide formal oral comments for the Service to review and consider for its final decision. Speaker registration will begin at 1 p.m. The information meeting and hearing will be at Bonners Ferry High School, 6485 Tamarack Lane, Bonners Ferry, Idaho 83805.

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/jan/28/tension-between-snowmobilers-other-winter-users/ it's an ongoing problem made worse by ever more powerful machines and that alluring "those rules don't apply to me. i know better" attitude. i ran into snow machine tracks way up at the head of the icicle while doing wolverine surveys a number of years ago. piss on the bc skiers that sled into designated wilderness areas. "where's the helmet cam, dude?" it's not like they can't read a map (um, right?). same thing goes for the mountain bikers poaching wilderness trails and sections of the pct.

very nice. hoping to see more tr's from those able to take advantage of the good weather.

Trip: the tooth - east face Date: 2/4/2012 Trip Report: i have not seen much gibberish about this route so here you go. marko and i totally wasted a t-shirt rock climbing day on the shady, cold and windy east face of da mighty toof. an attempt on the 28th was aborted due to sloth. 1. climb the chimney/gully weakness located approx. 300' left of the guidebook start. a piece of old 11mm rope is visible about 50' off the deck. approx. 60m leads to an alder bush below a short steep headwall flanked by corners. 2. climb the corner of your choice. we climbed the easier appearing corner on the right to an ice/snice tongue leading in approx. 50m to a tree belay. route joins regular east face here. 3. a full 60m of ice/snice and tricky dinking leads to a sheltered gear belay on the left side of the obvious chimney. 4. climb chimney, find your way over or around the roof, and continue up more chimney/gully to the summit. every pitch was great fun. crux for us was pitch 4. maybe m5/m6 in the conditions we found. chug that warm mug of donkey semen and get on it. a highly recommended route. Gear Notes: gear to 3.5-4", a couple kb, a couple stubbies, a snarg/hog/or spectre.

Trip: chair peak - north groove area Date: 1/13/2012 Trip Report: the right hand side of chair peak's north face doesn't seem to garner much attention. here is one option: 1. start up chimney just left of the toe of the buttress mentioned in "washington ice." a short ways above the chimney, take a right trending ramp to a left facing corner capped by a roof on the buttress crest. hook up corner with good pro, pull left around roof, belay around 40m in frozen blocks. (alternatively, instead of the ramp traverse, climb directly up chimney/squeeze and up snice slope to intersect our second pitch.) 2. pull left into narrow ice "groove" and climb it for 20-30' then trend up and right on poorly protected snice for full 60m to the lone tree on right side of buttress. 3. here one could make a rising traverse to the northwest ridge. we opted to climb straight up from the tree to the obvious offwidth/chimney located just right of the buttress. hooks, jams and snice/turf lead to the northwest ridge in 60m. 4. one easy pitch along ridge to summit. cruxes on pitches 1 and 3. in the conditions we found it, i thought it was harder than pineapple express, maybe m5/m6. lunger's first time out...the twisted soul seemed to enjoy it. a couple other nice looking systems lie immediately right of the buttress toe. all would logically lead to the area of our first belay. Gear Notes: rock gear to 3.5" including a couple kb's. a warthog, snarg or spectre could come in handy but screws were not useful.

fine work. far left side of face leading to long right trending snow slope to major notch? the easiest looking line on any of scurlock's photos? if so, unsubstantiated rumor is andreas schmidt and co. climbed it---i could be wrong.

very nice.

jeezusfuck, you're crying about not having any tools? when are you overpaid kids getting the lithium ion powered heated grips? power 'em up to 5 all day and break out the chalkbag on those m10s. mine just arrived via parcel post.

outstanding.

Trip: golden horn - northeast arete - northeast arete Date: 9/6/2011 Trip Report: after a fine day on tower mountain, mr. asslunger and i were looking for some more quality stone in the snowy lakes vicinity. a slightly later start, a short rap, some more cramponing and quite a bit of unstable scree led us to the ne arete of golden horn. lunger pulled the short straw all day and was rewarded with some choice pitches. he pulled some hard and loose moves on the second pitch when i suggested he explore the left, off-route, side of the arete. unfortunately, he had no one to blame on the sixth pitch. we found seven pitches (a few short-ish ones for risk management) of impressive climbing. one of the highlights of the day was climbing past the cannon hole along the ridge and being able to see through it to the mid-pillar belay on tower mt. just as we were able to see through the pillar to the cannon hole. lunger may post some pictures when he has time. if you like ice climbing, you will enjoy this route. respect to mr. skoog and mr. walseth. Gear Notes: pro to 4" Approach Notes: swamp creek to snowy lakes

Trip: tower mt. - northeast face: fra "tower of babble" (III, 5.10-) Date: 9/5/2011 Trip Report: a little bird told me that blake recently posted something on his blahg regarding tower mountain so i thought that i add to the babble. asslunger and i hiked up to snowy lakes via swamp creek on sunday afternoon and stashed some gear at the col northwest of tower mt. an early start with some cramponing and downclimbing brought us to the base of the lower northeast face. fra route description as follows: 1. start at buttress toe as kellie mcbee and i did in 2009 (5.7ish) or get on the rock from the right approximately 1 pitch up as asslunger and i did. 2. 5.7/5.8 face and cracks up the middle face/buttress for 60+m. 3. 4th class rubble for 60+m to just below the mid-face ledge. 4. 3rd/4th class up and right to the base of the rightmost buttress on the upper face distinguishable by some spectacular left facing corners. 5. climb left facing corner (use face to avoid the loosest blocks under a roof) to a squeeze chimney. climb chimney to good belay. 50m, 5.10-. 6. step left onto a ledge and start up double cracks. switch to right crack which becomes an offwidth/squeeze. ascend ow and surmount blocks above to spectacular belay with view through the pillar to golden horn. 50m, 5.9. 7. step left again then up some gravel to a series of nice flakes leading to a belay on the buttress crest. 50m, 5.9. 8. short bit of 5.6 face to crest of northwest ridge. 9. scramble nw ridge to single rope rap to the notch immediately above the rotten white wall of the west face gully. continue along ridge to summit. we belayed 6-7 pitches of those described above. the route lies right of what we thought was the doorish route. a series of extremely steep corners and roofs lies left of the doorish route and might provide some very bold on-site free climbing. lunger might post some photos when he gets time. fra of lower face: kellie mcbee and rolf larson, around 7/4/09. fra of full route: eric wehrly and rolf larson, 9/5/11. Gear Notes: pro to 4" and 1kb Approach Notes: kellie and i approached via pine creek. the swamp creek/northwest col approach is preferable if you plan to climb the whole route.

in addition to the blister rust and pine beetles, there is quite a bit of tussock moth infestation in the cascades. the east side of washington pass was badly affected a couple of years ago but seems to have recovered pretty well.

* Whitebark Pine Put On ESA Candidate List; USFWS Says Keystone Species Facing Extinction The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said this week it has determined the whitebark pine warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act, but that adding the species to the federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants is precluded by the need to address other listing actions of a higher priority. Roughly 44 percent of the species' range occurs in the United States in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Washington. The remaining 56 percent of the species range occurs in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Whitebark pine typically occurs on cold and windy high-elevation or high-latitude sites in western North America. It is considered a keystone species because it increases biodiversity and contributes to critical ecosystem functions. The Service will add the whitebark pine to the list of candidate species eligible for ESA protection and review its status annually. When a warranted but precluded finding is made for a species, the Service classifies it as a candidate for listing. The Service determined that threats to the whitebark pine include habitat loss and mortality from white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle, catastrophic fire and fire suppression, environmental effects resulting from climate change, and the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms. Whitebark pine is experiencing an overall long-term pattern of decline, even in areas originally thought to be mostly immune from the above threats. Recent predictions indicate a continuing downward trend within the majority of its range. While individual trees may persist, given current trends the Service anticipates whitebark pine forests will likely become extirpated and their ecosystem functions will be lost in the foreseeable future. On a landscape scale, the species appears to be in danger of extinction, potentially within as few as two to three generations. The generation time of whitebark pine is approximately 60 years. Service officials said they were aware this finding may raise some concern about the status of grizzly bears, which are known to use whitebark pine as a food source. The Service says it has 25 years of data that indicate grizzly bears are not dependent on whitebark pine seeds for their survival. Because whitebark seeds are not a naturally reliable food source, grizzlies have been coping for millennia by switching to other foods when whitebark pine seeds are unavailable by consuming other readily available foods such as ungulates, ground squirrels, i9nsects, roots, mushrooms, and other vegetative matter. Therefore, the Service says it does not believe this finding will impact grizzly bear recovery. Currently, there is no known way to stop whitebark pine mortality caused by white pine blister rust and mountain pine beetle. The majority of whitebark pine occurs on Forest Service managed lands, and the Forest Service has implemented conservation actions, including developing and planting white pine blister rust-resistant seedlings. Research on the propagation of rust-resistant whitebark pine seeds and seedlings is underway and strategic conservation plans are being developed. Whitebark pine is frequently the first conifer to become established after disturbances like wildfires and subsequently stabilizes soils and regulates runoff. Snow will drift around whitebark pine trees, thereby increasing soil moisture, modifying soil temperatures, and holding soil moisture later into the season. Whitebark pine frequently shade, protect, and slow the progression of snowmelt, essentially reducing spring flooding at lower elevations. Whitebark pine also provides important, highly nutritious seeds for numerous birds and mammals. Whitebark pine is a slow-growing, long lived tree with a life span of upwards of 500 years and sometimes over 1,000 years. Because whitebark pine seeds cannot be wind-disseminated, primary seed dispersal occurs almost exclusively by Clark's nutcrackers. Consequently, Clark's nutcrackers facilitate whitebark pine regeneration and influence its distribution and population structure through their seed caching activities. The Service made the determination in response to a petition filed on December 9, 2008, by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The Service completed an initial review in July 20, 2010, and concluded that the petition contained substantial information supporting a full study of the whitebark pine status. The Service has completed a comprehensive review -- known as a 12 month finding -- and determined that there is sufficient scientific and commercial data to propose listing the species throughout its range. However, the Service is precluded from beginning work immediately on a listing proposal because its limited resources must be devoted to other, higher priority actions. The Service has assigned the whitebark pine a listing priority number of 2, which means that the threats are imminent and of high magnitude. A copy of the finding and other information about whitebark pine is available at http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/plants/whitebarkpine for those interested, more info on white pine blister rust life cycle here: http://www.forestpathology.org/dis_wpbr.html

WDFW NEWS RELEASE Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 http://wdfw.wa.gov/ July 5, 2011 Contact: Rocky Beach, (360) 902-2510 or Harriet Allen, (360) 902-2694 Fourth state wolf pack confirmed OLYMPIA - Washington's fourth documented wolf pack has been confirmed through DNA tests on an animal equipped with a radio collar last month in Kittitas County. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists caught, collared and released an adult female wolf that was lactating, indicating she was nursing pups. The biologists took tissue and hair samples, and submitted them for DNA testing to determine whether the animal was a wild wolf or a wolf-dog hybrid. Results of the DNA testing conducted at the University of California-Davis confirmed the animal is a wild gray wolf. WDFW biologists are monitoring the wolf's location and activity through the radio telemetry tracking collar. They are referring to the new wolf pack as the Teanaway Pack. "The discovery of another resident wolf pack clearly indicates that wolves are returning to Washington state naturally," said WDFW Director Phil Anderson. "Their return highlights the need to continue efforts to finalize a state wolf conservation and management plan that will establish state recovery objectives and describe options for addressing wolf-livestock and wolf-ungulate management issues." The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is protected throughout Washington as a state endangered species. In the western two-thirds of Washington, the species is also federally protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Lookout Pack, confirmed in Okanogan and Chelan counties in 2008, was Washington's first documented resident pack since a breeding population of wolves was extirpated from the state in the 1930s. A second pack, known as the Diamond Pack, was documented in 2009 in central Pend Oreille County. A pup from a third pack, known as the Salmo Pack, was radio-collared in 2010 in northeast Pend Oreille County, where pack territory ranges into British Columbia. Wolves from the Cutoff Peak Pack, with a den site in Idaho, range into Pend Oreille County in northeast Washington. Before the Teanaway Pack was confirmed, WDFW estimated a total of about 25 resident wolves in the state. WDFW has been working since 2007 with a 17-member citizen group to develop a wolf conservation and management plan in anticipation of wolves re-entering Washington from other states or Canada. A draft plan, which underwent extensive public review and scientific peer review, will be presented to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in August. For more information on the draft plan, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/ . Harriet Allen, WDFW's threatened and endangered species program manager, said the search for the Teanaway pack was prompted by reports of wolves in the area from citizens and state and federal agency personnel. Remote, motion-triggered cameras were deployed by multiple agencies and private groups. Images of wolf-like animals were captured on cameras placed in the area by Conservation Northwest, a private, non-profit organization. The group's Citizen Wildlife Monitoring Program also provided the first images of the Lookout Pack pups three years ago. "We appreciate the efforts of Conservation Northwest and our partner agencies, the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to help us document wolves as they return naturally to Washington," Allen said. "Documenting packs and learning about territory use, productivity and survival will help us understand how wolves are using Washington habitat. That will help us protect them and ultimately determine when we reach recovery goals." Wolf sightings or activity should be reported through the joint federal-state toll-free wolf reporting hotline at 1(888) 584-9038. Joint federal-state Wolf Response Guidelines, including agency staff contacts, are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/contacts.html . It is illegal to harm or harass a federal- or state-protected endangered species. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This message has been sent to the WDFW All Information mailing list. Visit the WDFW News Release Archive at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/ To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mailing list: http://wdfw.wa.gov/lists/unsubscribe.html

thanks j. re: index they have nested near the cheeks in the past.

the anchor on the ledge below the first pitch lacks hangers and the nuts are more than finger-tight against the rock. while the first bolt is not far above, a future party might want to bring a wrench to loosen the nuts for wires. a worthwhile, if out of the way, couple of short pitches (easily linked) if you are looking to round out your day. seemed slightly easier than rated.

chelan county maintains it to the snow creek parking lot. from there it is usfs road. if not for the landowners who became tired of snow machining their way to and from the lot, it would still be closed for the winter at snow creek. winter maintenance is done not by the usfs but by the rayfield construction company at, to my knowledge, residents' expense. as a condition, they have to plow parking at bridge creek. dave a. is probably correct that they will end-haul the debris.

i bet rayfield will dozer that in less than a day when the usfs allows it.

straight up cool.

rock quality on the regular north face route was very good as i recall (climbed it early-mid '90's)--- "rhino-rock". haven't climbed the doorish routes to the right.

that shit is in.

WDFW NEWS RELEASE Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 http://wdfw.wa.gov/ February 2, 2011 Media Contacts: Margaret Ainscough, WDFW, Public Affairs Director, 360-902-2408 Virginia Painter, Washington State Parks, 360-902-8562 Bryan Flint, DNR Communications and Outreach Director, 360-902-1023, bryan.flint@dnr.wa.gov Legislation aims to maintain recreation access on state lands Three agencies work together to offer single, vehicle access permit OLYMPIA - The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and the state departments of Natural Resources (DNR) and Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) today announced they are co-requesting legislation that will reform state land management and maintain public access to state recreation lands. SB 5622 ( http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5622 ) addresses the growing demand for recreation opportunities and the impacts of recreation on natural resources and wildlife by developing a reliable source of funding and improving law enforcement on state lands managed by the agencies. All three agencies have seen sharp declines in their budgets to provide adequate maintenance, improvements, and enforcement for recreation. The Governor's proposed budget removed state General Fund support for recreation on state lands in favor of a user-supported funding approach. "As lawmakers discuss the most drastic budget cuts in state history, we need to align our revenues with our expectations about our quality of life," said State Senator Kevin Ranker (D-40th) ( http://www.sdc.wa.gov/senators/ranker/ ), the prime sponsor of the bill, said. "We need to talk about not just how much our outdoor recreation services cost, but also about how much it costs to lose them. Without this legislation, we will witness widespread closure of state parks and other public facilities. I am grateful for the leadership provided by Parks, DNR, and WDFW on this critical issue." A companion bill, HB 1796 ( http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1796&year=2011 ), has been introduced in the House by Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D-24th). One of the key components of the bill is the annual $30 pass that will enable the public to visit state lands managed by all three agencies with just a single pass. "With State Parks moving off General Fund tax support, we need a new way to fund recreation, and a user-pay model seems to be the fairest-those who use parks pay for them" said State Parks Director Don Hoch. "Working together with all three agencies that offer recreation on state lands is a great value for citizens. The public doesn't have to worry about whether they are on lands managed by State Parks, WDFW, or DNR. One permit gets them access." "State general revenues are no longer a stable source of funding for outdoor recreation on state lands," said WDFW Director Phil Anderson. "This proposal will bring a greater degree of stability to state land maintenance and operation, and will ensure the public's ability to access state lands and waterways for outdoor recreation. We're eager to work with legislators and our fellow natural resource agencies to improve the legislation as we seek sustainable funding for state lands." "DNR plays a significant role in providing recreation opportunities on state trust lands," said Bryan Flint, DNR's Communications and Outreach Director. "Places such as Mount Si, Tahuya State Forest, and Lake Spokane are very popular recreation areas that we manage." The bill, as introduced: Creates an annual, singular pass -called the "Discover Pass"-that will enable the public to visit lands managed by Parks, WDFW, and DNR. The pass will cost $30 per year per vehicle or $10 for day use. Improves public safety , by giving law enforcement officers from each agency the authority to issue natural resource infractions on land managed by any of the agencies. Provides a free annual pass to volunteers who donate 40 hours of their time working on volunteer projects sanctioned by the agencies. Aligns DNR's recreational immunity with that of the other state agencies. Specifies how each agency must spend the revenue generated by the Discover Pass. Revenue from the sales of the pass will be split among the three agencies in the following manner: DNR and WDFW will each receive 7.5 percent and State Parks will receive 85 percent. Both DNR and WDFW would receive an estimated $5.5 million per biennium and State Parks would receive $61 million. Revenues in excess of $71 million would be distributed evenly among the agencies. The pass proceeds would partially offset reductions in state General Fund support to all three agencies. Recreation on Washington state lands State lands managed by DNR, State Parks, and WDFW provide millions of acres of recreation opportunities for citizens of the state and for the millions for visitors who come to Washington to enjoy and experience its exceptional outdoor places. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This message has been sent to the WDFW All Information mailing list. Visit the WDFW News Release Archive at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/ To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mailing list: http://wdfw.wa.gov/lists/unsubscribe.html

geekery: scarpa alphas + grivel g14 = excellent la sportiva nepal tops + grivel g14 = very good (a minor bit of space around edges of front bail mostly to boot wear) the grivel "dampening" front bail is over-engineered bunk. thinking of switching with the simple front bails off my old 2f's.

pm sent on the bibler